Prologue

Prologue

     It was a warm new-leaf night where the shine of the moon lit up the small clearing.  The trees swayed from side to side, whispering their secrets to one another silently.  Soon, however, the wind came to a slight pause as a dark gray shadow stepped from the security of the trees.  The shadow cautiously glanced from side to side, and then straight forward.  Carefully, the shadow stepped out further, still looking from side to side, revealing the shape of a cat.  Her long gray fur blew across her small, slanted face as she crept towards yet another cat releasing himself from the trees.  He kept his tail low to the ground as he began to meet the other cat halfway across the clearing.  Facing each other, the tom was much taller and strong; the small gray she-cat was barely half his size. 

     "Do you ever get the feeling that, well," The she-cat paused momentarily, as if trying to choose the correct words to get her point across.

     "It's okay," the tom spoke calmly and evenly, encouraging the cat.  "You can trust me to understand."  The she-cat considered this, and then nodded.

     "That your life is about to change?" The she-cat was staring at the ground when the tom spoke.  Now she looked up, studying the tom's eyes for an unspoken lie.

     "For better or for worse?" The tom asked.  The she-cat frowned, thinking. 

     "For worse," she stated.  Once again she searched the cat's gaze for a false note.  The tom paused, considering this, and then met the she-cat's gaze.  He frowned, and the she-cat noticed this.

     "What's wrong?  Why are you acting like this, Grayfur?" The tom said his voice lower and more mysterious.  A look of concern and worry washed over his face.

     "It's nothing... nothing at all." The she cat broke the tom's gaze and hesitated before turning around.  Before she could move, the tom blocked her path.

      "What is it, Grayfur?  I'm not a mousebrain; I know something is wrong in this forest.  But I can't help you unless you tell me what you know!" The sharpness in the tom's voice startled the she-cat.  She sighed and looked at him again.

     "A prophecy, Sharpfang.  A prophecy," The she-cat replied, worried.  The concern and worry returned to the tom's face.

     "When did you get this?  Grayfur, don't play this game with me!  I must know so we can stop whatever this is!" The tom looked at his paws after saying this.  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell." The tom's apology helped the she-cat to gain her strength back.

     "When I became a full medicine cat, Sharpfang.  The cat gave me a prophecy..."

     "What was the prophecy, Grayfur?  You have to tell me! " The tom's eyes pleaded with the she-cat's.  Finally, the she-cat gave in.

     "Well, I don't know if I should tell," The she-cat looked around, stalling.  The tom glared at her.

     "Did this cat specifically tell you not to share this prophecy?" The tom's patience was beginning to run low.

     "No-"

     "So tell me!"  The she-cat sighed.  She carefully glanced around before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

     "Five cats must defeat the leaves of the poison ivy before the flames grow dim..." The she-cat opened her eyes and looked at the tom.  He just stared at her, puzzled.

     "Well?" she asked the tom.  "What do you think it means?" The tom shook his head slowly, thinking of the possibilities.  At last he just sighed.

     "I don't know.  I just... don't know." The tom looked at his paws while the she-cat looked to the sky.  A bright light was emerging from behind the trees, breaking from the branches.  The tom noticed it too.

     "We had better go," the she cat said.  “You know they’ve partnered with… them.  They might be anywhere.” The tom nodded.

     "Yes, also the clan will wonder where we are.   See you later."

     "Same to you." The two cats padded back the ways they came, taking their time, thinking of the possible explanations they would tell their clans.  Soon, the she-cat stopped, letting her fur settle.  She gazed at the sky, seeing something no other cat but a true medicine cat could interpret.

     "Dark days are coming," she murmured.  As she walked away, the sun continued to rise, melting the stars and the moon, leaving it to come again in the night.